Swimming Notes

Evening Star, Issue 23681, 14 September 1940, Page 7 (Supplement)

Swimming Notes

by Hooker

Long-distance Records. After being in the water for more than three days, Johii V. Sigmund, St. Louis butcher, recently set what was believed to be a long-distance record by completing a non-stop swim of approximately 292 miles down the Mississippi River. Unable to walk or talk, he was helped from the water to a boathouse, where be rested a short time until a stretcher was improvised to carry him to an hotel. The accepted distance swimming record is 288 miles, set by Clarence Giles last year in the Yellowstone River.

Now. this is what L. do B. Handley, one of the world’s foremost swimming authorities, has to say about records for long-distance swimming, in a bulletin issued in New York on August 4 and recently received by the writer: “ The recent claim of a new world’s record for long-distance swimming has brought an inquiry as to w'hetber we believe it possible for any man to make a continuous swim of 200 miles. Well, it all depends on what we consider swimming. Given a sufficiently strong, favourable current, a man might even float the mileage in question without stopping. In still water, however, the trip would entail steady action for at least 100 hours, or more than four days, and that hardly is conceivable of human stamina. It is for the foregoing reason that feats of natatorial endurance performed in running water have so little significance. • The current plays too important a role.”

Speedy Breast Stroke Swimmer. At San Diego (S.A.) last month Larry Okey, of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, established a now Southern Pacific A.A.U. record for the 200 metres breast stroke, his time being 2min 51 4-ssee. Feature of the women’s competition was the performance of Muriel Mellon, 12-ycar-old San Diego girl, who took the 400 metres free style in Gmin ] 3-10 sec.

Americans in Form. The Misses Judith Auritt and Elsie Jane Allison, fast improving young Philadelphia naiads, displayed national potentialities in the Middle Atlantia A.A.U. senior 220yds free stylo championship in a 25yds pool recently, states Mr L. de B. Handley, in a recent bulletin forwarded from New York. Miss Auritt won by inches in the sterling time of 2ndn 35 5-10 sec.

Adolph Kiefer, American national hack stroke champion, won the Central A.A.U. 100 metres back stroke title in Chicago recently in Imin 0 l-ssec, bettering his own Central standard of Imin 6 4-ssec. Otto Jaretz, also an American champion, won at 100 metres free style in Imin 0 2-ssec.

Keen Breast Stroke Competition. Breast stroke competition in Otago is invariably keen, and this year the provincial junior girls’ title event pro-

mises to provide some of the finest swimming seen in this division, • and thus early it is not too much to predict that one or other of the competitors will set a new Dominion mark for 50yds breast stroke. Betty Stewart, who gained second place in the New Zealand title event last season, is still eligible for junior competition and has begun the season’s activities with Mr A. Greig as her coach again, while another promising pupil with the same coach is Val Brown, a daughter of the Otago Centre’s deputy-chairman, Mr Sam Brown. Another trio of outstanding breast stroke exponents comprises Shirley Harrison, Audrey King, and Lorraine Kearns, pupils of Mr H. de Crewe, and by the time the championships come along any one of the five mentioned should be capable of turning in times not far short of the record mark.

Swimming as Summer Sport. For several seasons past, swimmers have recognised the value of basketball as a winter activity, and it was this that Jed largely to the formation of the Kiwi Girls’ Basketball Club some years ago. Now, basketball players in their turn are realising the worth of swimming as a summer sport, and three ■well-known players who recently linked up with the Kiwi Club are Misses Mary Martin, Elva Sinclair, and M. Sinclair. Miss Martin and Miss E. Sinclair are both New' Zealand representative basketball players, and Miss Sinclair is a former Otago captain.

Country Clubs’ Activity. The last conference of country clubs decided upon Alexandra as the venue for the country clubs’ championship in the coming season, and no doubt the difficulties facing these clubs because of tho petrol restrictions will be one of tho subjects discussed at the annual conference of country clubs which will be held on October 7, immediately before the centre’s annual meeting. Tho centre lias already assured country clubs of ( its willingness to do all in its power to ensure that they will bo able to carry on their, activities as far as possible, and while the country clubs have been very hard hit by the war, it is encouraging to know that many of the older hands are rallying round to their support.

Clubs’ Annual Meetings, For several weeks past the Kiwi Club has been organising the group coaching activities at its club hour, and on Tuesday night more than 80 junior and intermediate members were being instructed. This is a good sign thus early since the annual meeting has not yet been hold. This is set down for next Thursday night, and the Dunedin Club, which is also getting under .way with its activities, is holding its annual meeting on September 25. It should not be long before the season’s operations are in full swung.